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Members of the Spot Valley High School Marching Band from St. James, leading a procession around the town of Falmouth in Trelawny, during the Tourism Ministry’s ‘Falmouth Invasion’ sensitization exposition and concert in February.+-

Photo: Glenis RoseMembers of the Spot Valley High School Marching Band from St. James, leading a procession around the town of Falmouth in Trelawny, during the Tourism Ministry’s ‘Falmouth Invasion’ sensitization exposition and concert in February.

Story Highlights

The ‘Preservation of the Built Heritage’ will be the focus of the inaugural staging of the Falmouth Heritage Expo slated for October 18 at Water Square, in Trelawny.

Speaking with JIS News, Product Facilitation Officer at the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), Georgia Lumley, said that the event will further increase awareness of the niche market that is present in Falmouth for heritage tourism.

The expo is a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Tourism, Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), the TPDCo, the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and other stakeholders, as part of the Sustainable Destination Alliance of the Americas (SDAA) initiative.

The ‘Preservation of the Built Heritage’ will be the focus of the inaugural staging of the Falmouth Heritage Expo slated for October 18 at Water Square, in Trelawny.

The heritage expo aims to boost civic pride in Falmouth, by highlighting its rich historical heritage and the noted Georgian architecture.

The event is also intended to foster a civic-minded community that values its heritage and works together to preserve its unique built environment as a distinct element of its tourism product.

Speaking with JIS News, Product Facilitation Officer at the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), Georgia Lumley, said that the event will further increase awareness of the niche market that is present in Falmouth for heritage tourism.

“Most of the knowledge of Falmouth exists only in the minds of the persons who studied it at school or in the minds of those who grew up there…so we want to share that knowledge to the tourists and locals who visit the area,” Ms. Lumley noted.

The heritage expo will include demonstrations and presentations on the town’s built heritage, with some 20 exhibitors showcasing their products and services.

A highlight of the expo will be the launch of an updated, more interactive heritage map of Jamaica – a comprehensive illustration of cultural and natural heritage sites across the island.

“The expo will have three segments, with the first including an open-house tour and walk through the town. We will go along King Street to a home that has been recently renovated to look how it was in the 1800s, then we will have greetings from the Custos, mayor and other dignitaries,” Ms. Lumley highlighted.

She added that segment one will close with an address by the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, highlighting plans for heritage tourism in Falmouth and across the rest of the island.

Segment two will feature live demonstrations by the TPDCo, including the creation of the sash window, which was a part of the Georgian architecture that was in 18th century homes.

The expo song, which was produced to increase awareness of the heritage buildings in Falmouth, will also be launched and played throughout the proceedings.

“The third segment will involve participating schools who will be showcasing various aspects of heritage. Throughout the day, a storyteller will be doing pieces reflecting Falmouth’s built heritage and the town’s rich history,” Ms. Lumley said.

The expo is a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Tourism, Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), the TPDCo, the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and other stakeholders, as part of the Sustainable Destination Alliance of the Americas (SDAA) initiative.

The SDAA initiative is geared towards repositioning Falmouth as a sustainable tourism destination and involves a programme of activities to improve civic pride in Falmouth, as well as foster cultural and economic innovation.